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Creative Writing and Journalism BA Honours

Overview

"I am eternally grateful for my education at Middlesex. It was the defining moment, the switching on; an explosive charge that still burns brightly."

Russell Kane; comedian, writer and actor

Is writing your passion? Do you love working creatively with language? BA Creative Writing and Journalism gives you a unique opportunity to develop as a creative writer, gain practical journalistic skills and form a close understanding of the journalism industry. This is the degree for you if you want to improve your skills as a writer in a wide variety of forms including fiction, drama and poetry whilst taking an in-depth look at the journalism profession.

Why study BA Creative Writing and Journalism at Middlesex University?

Many professional writers split their time between creative writing projects and work on articles, reviews and columns, while many journalists also work on novels and screenplays. Our inspiring course is designed to equip you with the skills and experience to work in both creative and journalistic writing.

We cover all aspects of journalism from newspaper to magazines and digital media, combining theory with practical work throughout the course. You'll not only learn how to critically examine writing and media, but also develop skills that prepare you for a career in media industries including newspapers, magazines, television, publishing, PR, advertising, and freelance writing. Our course gives you an abundance of opportunities to experiment with language and improve your writing and editing skills alongside a solid understanding of the way the journalism and writing industries are now developing.

Course highlights

Based in the Grove, a state-of-the-art learning facility, you will be able to collaborate with students from other disciplines and access facilities including professional TV and radio studios, art editing and digital publishing labs

Near London's media and publishing markets, Middlesex is an ideal place to study, gain work experience and make industry contacts – many of our students have gone on to successful careers in creative writing

You get to experience writing in a range of styles in your first year and have the option of focusing more on areas of particular interest as your writing develops in the second and third year

Did you know?

Course Content

What will you study on the Creative Writing and Journalism degree at Middlesex University?

The first year of the course introduces you to essential journalism skills and creative writing skills that you can apply across a range of media, including narrative storytelling, finding your voice and exploring character, dialogue and conflict. You will also have the opportunity to use our in-house radio studio for recording radio plays.

By your second year you will look closely at journalism in practice, including magazine publishing, and you will start focusing on more specific writing forms like fiction writing, screenwriting and storytelling so you can discover and develop your creative strengths and interests. In the second year screenwriting module, some scripts will be selected by BA Film students and made into short films.

You final year of study allows you to specialise further with your independent project and a wide selection of optional modules from writing for children to photojournalism. If you wish, you can focus more on creative writing in your third year but you will still study journalism, to a lesser extent than the previous years.

There are no exams on this course and all assessment is done by portfolio work.

Modules

Year 1

Words and the World
(30 Credits)
- Compulsory

Words and the World is a stimulating introductory course for first years that encourages students to respond to the world around them. The module travels from childhood memoir to suspense writing, reviewing to opinion pieces, and poetry from around the globe to utopian short stories that set the world to rights.

Character Dialogue and Conflict
(30 Credits)
- Compulsory

The 'Character, Dialogue,
Conflict' module introduces students to key elements in the field of
imaginative writing – building characters, writing dialogue, creating &
building conflict situations. Students will look at a selection of contemporary
texts and techniques to understand how these things work in practice; they will
develop their own scripts, monologues and sketches as well as write and record
a radio play.

Issues in Journalism
(30 Credits)
- Compulsory

'Issues
in Journalism will develop your news sense and give you the foundational skills
and knowledge for producing effective journalism, including by developing an awareness
of some of the legal constraints, conventions and ethical issues involved in
the practice. You will have the opportunity to develop your own practice, but
also enhance your understanding by considering the practice of other
journalists.

Publishing Technologies in Context
(30 Credits)
- Compulsory

This module introduces students to subject specific media production practices across a range of platforms. Students produce practice-based projects using a range of media including, video, web design and digital image.

The module also introduces theoretical arguments concerning the role of technologies in shaping our understanding of media production practices.

Year 2

Journalism in Practice
(30 Credits)
- Compulsory

Advanced
Digital Journalism enables you to apply journalistic writing skills gained
during your first year to contemporary modes of publishing, taking into
consideration layout, design and photography.
A key aim is to help you understand and reflect on the core processes
involved in taking digital journalism work from concept to consumption with a
view to helping you become ethically and legally astute creative practitioners.

Storytelling: History and Practice
(30 Credits)
- Optional

From Shakespeare to Twitter, this workshop-based module helps you explore ways in which storytelling has changed through literary history in order to help you develop as informed, flexible, critical practitioners. By considering, for example, oral storytelling and Modernism alongside games narratives and Twiction, Storytelling: History and Practice helps you gain ideas and inspiration and locate your own work in a wider literary context.

Techniques of Fiction
(30 Credits)
- Optional

In Techniques of Fiction, you will explore
fictional forms and techniques in order to deepen your knowledge of formal and
stylistic literary skills. You will
undertake close analysis of how published authors tackle techniques such as
characterisation, imagery and structure to help you develop as critical and
technically confident practitioners able to begin applying these techniques to
your own work.

Screenwriting: The Short Film
(30 Credits)
- Optional

To expand knowledge of scriptwriting to encompass a practical understanding of the development and writing short films scripts; To explore analytically and critically particular narrative devices in the short form and their impact on the spectator; To further develop competence in the key elements of screenwriting dialogue, characterisation, plotting, visual storytelling and to present screenplays; To facilitate student delivery of meticulously redrafted screenplays to an industry standard.

Magazine and Book Publishing
(30 Credits)
- Optional

Magazine and Book Publishing aims to help you to develop a broad knowledge of book and magazine publishing, both as academic scholars and as potential future practitioners in the field. The module considers history and cultural context, content production and how book and magazine publishing is meeting challenges and embracing opportunities provided by developments in digital technology.

Global Journalism
(30 Credits)
- Optional

This module explores the role of journalism in different cultures and examines the processes of global journalism production, circulation and consumption. It also gives students an understanding of how technology has reduced national boundaries and is playing a role in the shifting balances of power.

Year 3

Independent Project
(30 Credits)
- Compulsory

The Independent Project is an opportunity for students to follow
their hearts and further develop their skills in their chosen genre, from
fiction to poetry, screenwriting to broadcast features, and journalism to
running the University's annual literary festival. This is the space for
students to write that project they will send to publishers.

Contemporary Journalism
(30 Credits)
- Compulsory

Contemporary Journalism captures the
ever-evolving, fast-paced nature of journalism – past, present and future - and
encourages you to begin experimenting with your own personal journalistic
interests in terms of genres and delivery platforms. You will explore the
historical origin and current practical application of contemporary
journalistic practices such as hyper-local news, investigative journalism and
open-source journalism in order to develop a socially and culturally
contextualised repertoire of skills and knowledge appropriate to current and
future journalism practice.

Writing Genres
(30 Credits)
- Optional

This course looks at six popular genres – crime, fantasy, romance, sci-fi, horror and historical in detail, considering both film and text examples, as well as exploring how to work creatively within the conventions of each one. Sub genres as well as genres will be discussed and students work will be workshopped in themed sessions.

Creative Non Fiction
(30 Credits)
- Optional

This module enables you to apply creative writing skills learned during your first two years to the challenges of telling a fact-based story, taking into account market and audience. Each area within creative non-fiction - such as features, travel, biography and autobiography - has its own specific demands. As well as undertaking critical readings of published examples, you will generate your own creative non-fiction, working to increase the range of your output and develop writerly resilience and professionalism.

Publishing Cultures
(30 Credits)
- Optional

This module focuses on specialist bodies of knowledge and critical
discussion as applied to two taught areas of publishing and a third of the
student's choice.

Media Events and News Cultures
(30 Credits)
- Optional

This module focuses on the shifting nature of information production in the multi-platform world of contemporary media, and it opens up questions about the implications of these changes for how we understand the world and our place within it. Students are taught to appreciate critically the processes of information gathering and dissemination practices, the questions about media manipulation and fabrication, and the shaping of public debate.

Teaching

How is the Creative Writing and Journalism degree taught?

From practical work using our extensive media production facilities, to listening to talks by speakers from the industry, the ways in which you will learn on this course are varied and exciting. You will work on your own creative and practical projects, and put together a portfolio of work; you will attend demonstrations, lectures, seminars, workshops and one-to-one tutorials, and supplement all this with online and independent study.

You will analyse other writers' work, examine case studies, work on problem-solving exercises and critiques and give presentations. Specific sessions will hone your IT, essay-writing, research and project development skills. In your final year you will work on an independent project, which is split into two parts. The first is either a work placement in the literary or media industry, accompanied by a report, or a research project on an aspect of the literary or media industries. The second is your own creative project, which can be anything from writing fiction or drama, or producing a video, to producing a magazine or newspaper or organising and running an event.

Assessment

Assessment is entirely through coursework, and you will work on many different types of assignment. Your portfolio of creative work will include fiction writing, news and feature writing, audio or video interviews, web pages, blogs, short film scripts, your final year independent project and much more. You will also submit commentaries accompanying your work, essays, reports, critical analyses and case study evaluations and give presentations.

Some assessed work will be done in groups. You will receive regular feedback on your work throughout the course, including in class, where students will discuss each other's work, and you will also be encouraged to reflect on your work yourself.

Our entry requirements are displayed as grades. Please use the UCAS calculator to find out the equivalent tariff points.

Eligibility

UK/EU and International students are eligible to apply for this course.

Academic credit for previous study or experience

If you have achieved a qualification such as a foundation degree or HND, or have gained credit at another university, you may be able to enter a Middlesex University course in year two or three. For further information please visit our Transfer students page.

If you have relevant work experience, academic credit may be awarded towards your Middlesex University qualification. For further information please visit our Accreditation of Prior Learning page.

International entry requirements

We accept the equivalent of the above qualifications from a recognised overseas qualification. To find out more about the qualifications we accept from your country please visit the relevant Support in your country page.

If you are unsure about the suitability of your qualifications or would like help with your application, please contact your nearest Regional office for support.

Visas and immigration

You will not need a visa to study in the UK if you are a citizen of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. If you are a national of any other country you may need a visa to study in the UK. Please see our Visas and immigration page for further information.

English language requirements for international students

You must have competence in English language to study with us. The most commonly accepted evidence of English language ability is IELTS 6.0 (with minimum 5.5 in all four components). Visit our English language requirements page for a full list of accepted English tests and qualifications. If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, we offer an intensive Pre-sessional English course.

Interviews, entrance tests, portfolios and auditions

Entry onto this course does not require an interview, entrance test, portfolio or audition.

Careers

Employability

Employment rate of this course

Average starting salary

What are the career options with a degree in Creative Writing and Journalism?

The course prepares students to go on to careers in creative writing and/or journalism but graduates are welcomed into a wide range of industries wherever good writing and critical thinking are valued. Middlesex graduates include comedian and writer Russell Kane, playwright Rosa Connor, and performance poet and writer Laura Dockrill. The course is also particularly useful in areas where work on analysing and producing language is central including journalism, copywriting, advertising, website management, politics, PR, teaching, marketing and branding.

Profiles

What do our students and graduates say about the course?

Russell Kane BA Creative and Media Writing graduate

Russell is a writer, comedian, actor and media personality. In June 2006, he became the face of digital station Five US, and was nominated for an If.comedy award at the Edinburgh Fringe. He was the host of Series 4, 5 and 6 of BBC Radio 2's Out to Lunch.

"I am eternally grateful for my education at Middlesex. It was the defining moment, the switching on; an explosive charge that still burns brightly."

Laura DockrillBA Creative Writing graduate

Laura was named one of the top ten literary talents by The Times and her work includes novels, poetry and songwriting. You can find out more about Laura at www.lauradockrill.co.uk.

"One of my teachers at Middlesex, Maggie Butt, was just a high priestess of brilliance and we keep in touch. The literary festival was also fantastic; I have since come back and taken part. I am also a huge fan of London - the diversity, the colour and bustle and madness; it has so much to say and that's a massive inspiration.

"My advice to anyone looking to get published is to share your work so you can build your confidence and get yourself some delicious thick skin. It can also help your writing fall into unexpected hands. Reading aloud was how I got published."

Antoinette ScottBA Creative Writing and Journalism

"I have really enjoyed and benefited from the process of taking what is taught on the course and applying it beyond university. As a disabled student, the flexibility of tackling my learning in manageable chunks as a part time student over the past five years has also been incredibly beneficial. The lectures and seminars have been engaging and have kept me enthused throughout this time.

"I have been fortunate enough to interview Professor David Isenberg, one of the world's leading experts in Rheumatology and Auto-immune diseases at the UCH in London, as part of my studies. Seeing my completed work posted online was very rewarding. At the last Middlesex Literary Festival, I also had the chance of interviewing in front of a live audience the youngest author to be signed on by the publishing giant Faber and Faber, Chibundu Onuzo."